The iPhone 17 starts at $899 and the iPhone 18 Pro Max at $1,299, so the gap on Apple’s Store page is $400. For that money you get 15 more hours of rated video playback, a 48MP telephoto with 8x optical-quality reach, a variable-aperture main camera, USB 3, a 6.9-inch display and a 2-nanometer chip.
One note on the arithmetic: the iPhone 17’s $899 includes a $30 carrier connectivity discount on Apple’s Store page, and its unlocked 256GB price is $929, so the true unlocked gap is $370. This guide uses Apple’s tech specs, compare page and Store pages to show what sits between the cheapest current iPhone and the most expensive one that does not fold.
| Spec | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (256GB) | $1,299 | $899 with connectivity discount; $929 unlocked |
| Display | 6.9-inch, 2868 x 1320, 460 ppi | 6.3-inch, 2622 x 1206, 460 ppi |
| Weight | 249 g | 177 g |
| Video playback / streamed | 45 hours / 40 hours | 30 hours / 27 hours |
| Chip | A20 Pro, 7-core GPU, dual 16-core Neural Engine | A19, 5-core GPU |
| Telephoto | 48MP 4x at 100 mm; 8x optical-quality at 200 mm | 12MP 2x crop at 52 mm |
| USB-C | USB 3, up to 10 Gb/s | USB 2, 480 Mb/s |
| Storage | 256GB to 2TB | 256GB, 512GB |
The screen and the body: 6.9 inches and 72 more grams
Apple’s compare page lists the iPhone 17 at 149.6 x 71.5 x 7.95 mm and 177 grams with a 6.3-inch display. The 18 Pro Max is 163.4 x 78.0 x 8.75 mm and 249 grams with a 6.9-inch display. Both are 460 ppi OLED with ProMotion up to 120Hz and 3000 nits peak outdoors; Apple’s compare page lists 1600 nits peak HDR for the Pro Max and does not list an HDR figure for the iPhone 17.
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The Pro Max is 72 grams heavier, a difference you will feel in every pocket. If you want the Pro cameras without the size, the 6.3-inch iPhone 18 Pro is the same footprint as the iPhone 17 at 211 grams; our iPhone 18 Pro launch roundup covers the smaller phone.
Battery: 30 hours to 45
Apple rates the iPhone 17 for up to 30 hours of video playback and 27 hours of streamed video. The 18 Pro Max is rated for 45 hours of video, 40 hours streamed and 30 hours of typical use. The 15-hour difference on local video is the headline number in this comparison.
Charging is closer than you might expect. The iPhone 17 reaches 50 percent in 20 minutes with a 40W adapter per Apple’s compare page; the 18 Pro Max does it in about 15 minutes with a 60W adapter. Both support MagSafe and Qi2 at up to 25W. Apple’s 45-hour claim is explained here.
Cameras: where most of the $400 goes
The iPhone 17 has two rear cameras: a 48MP Fusion main at 26 mm f/1.6 and a 48MP Ultra Wide at 13 mm f/2.2, with a 12MP 2x crop at 52 mm standing in for a telephoto. Optical zoom steps are 0.5x, 1x and 2x. The 18 Pro Max adds a third lens, a 48MP 4x tetraprism telephoto at 100 mm f/2.8 with a 12MP optical-quality 8x crop at 200 mm, for steps of 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x and 8x.
The main camera also differs. The Pro Max’s 48MP Fusion main is 24 mm with a variable aperture across f/1.48, f/1.8, f/2.8 and f/4.0, plus manual aperture and shutter speed controls, Smart Focus and faster Night mode per Apple’s press release; the variable aperture is explained here. The front camera is an 18MP Center Stage unit at f/1.9 on both phones.
Video separates them further. The iPhone 17 records 4K Dolby Vision at 24, 25, 30 or 60 fps. The Pro Max goes to 100 and 120 fps, adds ProRes RAW, Genlock and Apple Log 2, and its USB 3 port moves footage at up to 10 Gb/s against the iPhone 17’s USB 2 at 480 Mb/s.
Chip, storage and connectivity
The iPhone 17’s A19 has a 6-core CPU and a 5-core GPU with Neural Accelerators. The A20 Pro has a 6-core CPU, a 7-core GPU with Neural Accelerators and a dual 16-core Neural Engine, and it is Apple’s first 2-nanometer chip; the A20 Pro explainer covers Apple’s claims against the A19 Pro. Both phones have Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6. The Pro Max adds the N1 wireless chip with Thread and the C2 modem with mmWave 5G in the US.
Storage is the quiet difference. The iPhone 17 comes in 256GB at $929 unlocked or 512GB at $1,129. The Pro Max runs 256GB, 512GB, 1TB and 2TB at $1,299, $1,499, $1,899 and $2,499. At 512GB the gap is $370 either way.
| Feature | iPhone 18 Pro Max | iPhone 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Main camera | 48MP, 24 mm, f/1.48 to f/4.0 | 48MP, 26 mm, f/1.6 |
| Ultra Wide | 48MP, 13 mm, f/2.2 | 48MP, 13 mm, f/2.2 |
| Optical zoom steps | 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 4x, 8x | 0.5x, 1x, 2x |
| Top video mode | 4K Dolby Vision at 120 fps | 4K Dolby Vision at 60 fps |
| Wired fast charge | 50% in about 15 min (60W) | 50% in 20 min (40W) |
| Materials | Aluminum unibody, Ceramic Shield 2 front, Ceramic Shield back | Aluminum, Ceramic Shield 2 front, color-infused glass back |
| Colors | Black, Silver, Glacier, Burgundy | Black, White, Mist Blue, Sage, Lavender |
What Apple has not said
- A peak HDR brightness figure for the iPhone 17 on its compare page, where the Pro Max shows 1600 nits.
- A typical-use hour rating for the iPhone 17 comparable to the 30 hours Apple lists for the 18 Pro Max.
- A water resistance rating for the iPhone 17 in the compare page rows we checked; the 18 Pro Max is IP68 to 6 meters for 30 minutes.
- Any performance comparison between the A20 Pro and the standard A19; Apple’s figures reference the A19 Pro.
The iPhone 17 is available now from Apple’s Store page. iPhone 18 Pro Max pre-orders open Saturday, September 12 at 5 a.m. PT at $1,299, or $54.12 a month over 24 months, with availability on Friday, September 18; the monthly pricing is explained here, and the 18 Pro vs Pro Max guide helps if the size gives you pause.
